Ludlow haulage yard housing appeal refused
Plans to create 20 bungalows on a former haulage yard in Ludlow will not go ahead as an appeal by developers has been refused.
Hopes to develop the brownfield site off Fishmore Road, into an estate of secure retirement homes for those over 55 have been scuppered.
A government planning inspector has judged that it would be too far away from everyday facilities and not well served by services such as buses to make up for it.
Plans for the Elm Lodge homes were first placed in 2014 by the Weaver family, but were turned down twice by Shropshire Council's planning department.
The Weavers appealed to the national planning inspectorate but now that appeal has been turned down also, because of the distance the retirement homes would be from local services, as well as possible issues with noise and odour from a nearby farmyard. In his report, the Inspector B Bowker said: "I acknowledge the proposal would re-use a brownfield site, be delivered in a short period of time, create employment and provide independent housing for an ageing population.
"In addition, no harmful effect has been identified with regards to highway safety, character and appearance and biodiversity." But he said the site "would not provide a suitable site for housing withhaving regard to the proximity of services.
"The elderly are more dependent on local services and public transport than the population as a whole.
"This reinforces my conclusion of harm arising from future occupants having unsuitable access to services."
He said he also had concerns that the homes bungalows would be so close to an large agricultural building.
The refusal comes just as a fresh plans for an estate of 74 new homes have been submitted to Shropshire Council.
Applicant Willsgrove Developments wants to build about 500 metres closer to Ludlow town centre to the south on the former brickworks site on Fishmore Road.
However, though the brickworks houses would be on the same road, Mr Bowker said it did not sway him from his decision on "isolated location" of the Elm Lodge case.
"I have no details of the (brickworks) development and I am not aware of the considerations relating to it. Moreover, this case has to be determined on its own individual merits," he said.
In conclusion he said the Elm Lodge proposal would not meet the "environmental and social dimensions" required by planning policy to be considered "sustainable development", he said.
